The genus to which this plant belongs (Carex) includes more than 200 species in the northeast region of North America alone. Although many of the plants in this group look very much alike, this plant is perhaps the most distinct in its appearance. With its broad evergreen leaves and "flashy" white fruits, Fraser's Sedge is so different from its closest relatives that it is considered by some botanists to belong in its own genus (Cymophyllus), separate and apart from all the others. Found growing in cool, deep, moist, forested coves, Frazer's Sedge is restricted in distribution to the Southern Appalachians and is considered "rare" in the few states where it occurs.